The Fish
by Politically Undead
Summary: Laira reminisces about a story Shepard once told her, about a Turian/Asari couple bickering over gift, and the meaning behind the story. Bringing up the old Asari question, "If we live so long, why care?" Note: This story takes place in a reality where Shepard survives the final confrontation and is in a relationship with Liara. in Memorium to Debby Calhoun


Liara Breathed a heavy sigh as the automated car flew her back home. It had been a long day at the University; many of her students had trouble with Prothean studies - understandable. She'd spent years studying the Protheans, not getting anywhere, only to have Shepard blow all her theories sky high.  
She chuckled at the memory, that was over a hundred years ago, a hundred years since Liara had met her bond-mate.  
It seemed even natural death couldn't take Liara's bond-mate, as Shepared had exceeded the oldest living human of the time, lasting two hundred years and counting.  
A twinge of panic set in, as Liara began to once again think about her love's fading vitality. The anxiety she'd felt when she and Shepard had been bonded till death only increased with every wrinkle and grey hair she found.  
_Calm yourself Liara_, she thought to herself. _Remember what He taught you..._  
Liara thought back to a story her bond mate had once told he;, one of a Turian and Asari couple who were shopping for a souvenir in a gift shop, just after Shepard had been resurrected by Cerberus.

The story goes, that as Shepard walked into the shop to sell his "endorsement," he heard the couple bickering over what kind of gift to get.  
Finally the Asarie turned to her Turian husband and asked, "How about a fish?"  
"What's the point?" the Turian asked, "It'll just die in a few days."  
"It's about the time you spend with the fish!" The Asari nearly shouted.  
Every time Liara's bond-mate shared the story, he always admitted to thinking about Liara. And every time she would begin to grow anxious about their time left together, He would simply say, "It's about the time you spend with the fish dear."

It would always calm her down.

It was Asari philosophy so Liara should have been the calmer one in this situation, she knew it was all about the time you spend with your bond-mate not how long they live. But that phrase always seemed to put it into more...approachable terms.  
Another quality Liara loved about humans; their ability to put such deep philosophical ideals into small, even silly metaphors.  
Liara entered her and Shepards apartment, waltzing into the living room. "I'm home commander!" she called out, calling Shepard 'commander' in a more flirtatious manner, rather than a militaristic fashion.

"I received a request for you to speak personally at C-cec academy graduation again, I think Garrus is co-"  
Liara stopped mid sentence, horrified to see the aged Shepard laying face down beside his wheel chair.  
She cried his name out, before calling medical officials. The rest was a blur; all she remembered was traveling with the medical personnel and contacting her two offspring that they might come to see their father.  
The last clear memory Liara had was sitting in a chair next to her beloved. He was still alive, but everyone knew it was only to say goodbye.  
The doctor joked that many believed the grim reaper would be too afraid to take her husband, but the humor was lost on Liara.  
Just then, her two children entered the room.  
Bennezia, the older child - looking like the spitting image of her mother and named after Liara's own birth mother - was in tears. She rushed over to Shepard, and, conscious, he gave a weak smile to her, attempting to comfort her.  
The younger child, Kinera (meaning 'fighter' in an old Asari dialect) paced the room furiously, as if thinking of ways to "fix" the problem.  
"Papa!" Bennzia cried out, then quickly tried to collect herself as much as she could. "A-are you in any pain?" she stammered.  
"None at all, beautiful," Shepared replied calmly.  
"This isn't fair!" Kinera grunted, "There's gotta be - you can't just-" now a tear finally escaped Kinera's brilliant blue eyes.

Both the girls seemed to express how Liara felt in this moment. She smiled slightly, realizing again how much of Shepard's stubbornness she'd left with Kinera.  
"Kinera," Shepard began, "There's nothing you can do, you're only mortal." He held back saying 'only human.'  
"But...but..." kinera's outward aggression finally gave way to the turmoil inside; she burst into tears and went to her father as well.  
They all said their goodbyes, each making sure to express their love for their father, and Shepard to them in return.  
The doctors allowed Liara and her children to stay the night with Shepard.

Liara had just fallen asleep when she awoke to loud gasping.  
Adrenaline rushed through her as her grip on her bond-mates hand tightened. "Shepard!"  
"It's time, Liara," he stammered.  
"I'll wake the gi-"  
"NO!" he interrupted quickly. "Let them sleep...I don't want them to see me like this..."  
"I don't understand..." Liara said, panic rising in her.  
"Just consider it a 'human thing'," Shepard chuckled, and then took another few painful gulps of air.  
"Liara," he started. "I enjoyed our time... I'll see you with God."  
Liara wanted to protest, she wanted to scream and beg her bond-mate to stay with her, but instead all she said was, "God's speed commander," quoting the popular human expression.  
Soon after, heart monitor flat lined. Nurses rushed in. It was game over...

**-Six months later-**

The funeral was prestigious, and the few friends Shepard hadn't outlived were all there. Wrex even managed to give a speech; Liara swore she even saw a tear in his reptilian eyes, but perhaps not.  
It was a ceremony Shepard deserved, one befitting a Specter. Liara had planned to use the money she received from liquidating all property and personnel of the shadow broker, however the the human alliance insisted on paying the full expense.

Liara had a hard time believing six months had already passed, but what was six months to an Asari, really?  
"Mother, are you okay?" Kinera broke her train of thought.  
"Yes, my apologies Kinera."  
Both had come to visit Shepard's grave together.  
"I miss him mother..."  
"As do I" Liara comforted.  
"Mother," Kinera started. "I have a question..."  
"What is it, my dear?"  
"If we must live so long, why bind ourselves with species who live much shorter time spans? Why care? What's the point if they're just going to-"  
"Kinera," Liara cut her off softly. "It's about the time you spend with the fish."


End file.
